Until You Know
by SincerelyYours27
Summary: But she hoped Alison realized that "not until you know" is the farthest thing from a final nail in the coffin there is. It's an open door—if the blonde finds the courage to step through it. My continuation of the 7x11 scene.
1. Chapter 1

"Winner takes all. What the hell does that mean anyways?" Hanna vented, angrily eyeing the board game that has quickly become the bane of their combined existence. The feisty blonde had spent the day doing AD's maniacal bidding to gain the second piece of the puzzle. Yet, they were nowhere near figuring out what the game is supposed to reveal. Spencer had called the girls over a few hours ago when the machine started bleeping and blaring, Hanna's name popping up on the screen indicating who AD wants to play with next. They proceeded to bicker amongst each other as to the merits and risks of letting Hanna play before the frustrated blonde ended the debate with an adamant "Fuck this, I'm not scared of this bitch." A mission was displayed on the screen and off the blonde went. Now that Hanna's back, the girls reassembled in Spencer's barn—as confused and frustrated as ever.

"I guess we'll have to keep playing 'till we find out," Aria hesitantly replied.

"Well, don't look at me," Hanna huffed out defiantly, arms crossed and brows arched in resistance, "I just went." Trying her best to diffuse the situation, Emily pulled Hanna into a side hug, a move of comfort that usually calmed her hyperactive friend down. The designer immediately leaned into Emily's hold as another pair of blue eyes quietly studied them from the opposite side of the table.

Since their little confrontation in Alison's living room a few days ago, neither Emily nor Alison had spent time alone together. When they were at school, the brunette occupied herself with coaching and Alison likewise with teaching. Outside of school, their time was spent with the girls trying to keep up with AD.

If Emily was honest, she'd admit that she was intentionally giving the blonde some space. It had been awhile since Emily was witness to that side of Alison, the side that lashed out to everyone and anyone who came too close. She thought that their kiss was the start of the blonde letting her in again. But she was wrong. Throughout these past few days, she could practically see Alison's walls building up again. Brick by brick, the blonde was closing herself off in her impenetrable fortress. The only time she saw it crack was when she told Alison to not kiss her again. Emily didn't stay behind to witness the aftermath of those words but she caught a brief flash of pain in the former Queen Bee's eyes before she turned and walked out the door.

In a way, she threw down the gauntlet. Emily herself had come a long ways since her days in high school. She wasn't the pushover anymore. Not the sweet Emily who'll let herself be used for comfort only to be discarded when she was done. She knows in her heart Alison isn't the person to use her anymore either. She felt the sincerity in that tender kiss, believed the promise when the blonde whispered it inches from her lips. That being said, they aren't kids anymore. Emily wasn't willing to repeat the cycle of having genuine moments with her first love only to have it be swept under the rug and never mentioned again. She knew she threw the blonde off guard by mentioning their kiss, threw her in a loop even more so when she set that boundary with the blonde. But she hoped Alison realized that "not until you know" is the farthest thing from a final nail in the coffin there is. It's an open door—if the blonde finds the courage to step through it.

"Fortunately, I think AD's done playing with us for the day," Spencer spoke up. "I'll call you guys if anything else happens with this thing."

The girls gathered their stuff and prepared to head out. Hanna and Aria gave Spencer a hug before quickly rushing out the door. Being tormented by a mysterious psychopath wasn't going to deter these two from planning the most romantic wedding in Rosewood history. Emily, ever the caretaker, asked Spencer if she needed anything else before heading out. The brainiac quipped that she needed to restock her collection of wines. Apparently, the last few days with dealing with her mommy issues resulted in the brunette going through the red liquid faster than an athlete goes through sports drinks.

Alison, on the other hand, lingered just outside Spencer's door. After saying her own goodbye, the blonde wanted nothing more than to head straight home, throw on some sweats, and sulk in silence. But something kept her planted. Emily's words from a few days prior kept ringing in her ears. The day of their confrontation, she had welcomed back the old Alison DiLaurentis to keep her feelings at bay. However, the second the brunette's back was turned, she felt her whole resolve crumbling. It was terribly exhausting to keep up the ice queen facade—especially when she knew Emily saw right through it. So why do it at all? Why deny herself the presence of the one person she trusts more than life itself? Why isolate herself when all she wanted to do was stay safely encased in the arms of her—? Her what exactly? That's the question that has been slowly driving Alison insane for the past 48 hours. Who is Emily Fields to Alison DiLaurentis?

To say she was taken by surprise at the brunette's boldness would be an understatement. She hadn't expected Emily to bring up their kiss so quickly. She knew she owed the girl an explanation. But how can she answer when she hadn't even processed it herself? Though to be fair, she _had_ been actively avoiding that part of the last week. With the pregnancy bombshell, Spencer being shot, and AD's newest form of amusement, the blonde had reasoned with herself that her little moment with Emily could be pushed to the back burner for the time being. But Emily's ultimatum had jolted her awake. Despite everything going on, her unresolved feelings for her "favorite" had to be a priority too. So there she stood, shifting back and forth on her feet, waiting for Emily to finish her conversation with Spencer.

Saying her goodnight and exiting the barn, Emily's eyes quickly zeroed in on the blonde leaning against the side of the wall. "Ali, what are you still doing out here?" Her brows furrowing in concern. "It's chilly. You're gonna catch a cold." Emily gently admonished, immediately shrugging out of her Sharks hoodie to drape over the blonde's shoulders.

Alison smiled in gratitude before meeting the brunette's eyes with a sheepish look. Her heart warmed at Emily's gesture and it gave her the courage to follow through with her course of action.

"Em, can we talk?" The blonde's request held a note of hesitance, the slight fear that Emily might not want to deal with the two of them after the day they've all had.

But her eyes held the conversation her voice was clearly incapable of conveying. They were silently pleading with brunette and Emily registered that rare display of vulnerability. With a nod and a reassuring smile, Emily whispered out a "Sure" before the two silently made their way across the fence to the DiLaurentis house.

Once inside, the blonde headed straight for the couch and situated herself on one end while Emily made herself comfortable on the other. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, neither knowing exactly how to start. But Emily held her ground and waited for Alison to speak.

"Do you want something to drink?" Alison mentally slapped herself for blurting out something so pathetically generic.

Hyping herself to have a conversation with Emily and actually doing it are two very different beasts, the blonde realized. And now that the brunette is sat across from her, Alison could feel her planned speech flying right out of the window.

"I'm good, thanks." The corners of Emily's mouth quirked up a fraction at the blonde's obvious nerves. It's not every day that the former Queen Bee of Rosewood was at a loss for words and she had to admit that seeing Alison react this way to her was pretty damn adorable.

Taking a deep breath, Alison began, "I owe you an explanation for that other day…at the teacher's lounge."

Emily's eyes widened in slight surprise. She hadn't expected the blonde to address the Paige fiasco so soon but as she's learning, Alison will never stop throwing a fast one at her. She peered into the blonde's eyes, silently encouraging her to go on.

"I could blame it all on the crazy pregnancy hormones. But I won't. Because that wasn't the reason I went off on her." Alison avoided Emily's eyes as she nervously toyed with her fingers. "It's no secret that she and I have some bad blood. With the baby and AD, I just felt like everything's stacked up against me. Seeing her at school again pushed it over the top. And I took my frustrations out on her." The blonde finally looked up at Emily, unsure of what she'd find written across the brunette's face.

Emily sighed and scooted closer to Alison.

"What is it about Paige?" Emily gently inquired, knowing full well she was treading on dangerous grounds for the blonde.

"It brought up old feelings, I guess. In a way, you were right. I _was_ looking for a familiar face to punch. And…I was a little afraid of Paige but not in the way you'd think. I mean, I can take her," Alison gently chuckled at her attempted joke before turning serious once again. "I'm afraid of what she means to you. Of what it means now that she's back. I meant what I said, Em. You two have real history together and she's not my biggest fan. I just-"

"You thought me being close to Paige would mean me pulling away from you?" Emily softly interrupted.

Alison immediately looked away, her eyes closed and her lips pursed together in frustration. She was mad at herself for being so weak but more so scared at how Emily would react to her non-spoken admission.

"Ali…" Emily breathed, her hand reaching out to tuck a stray hair behind the blonde's ear. The tender gesture did the trick as Alison re-opened her eyes to look at the brunette. She didn't see anger, annoyance, or reproach in those familiar brown orbs. All she saw was understanding.

"If thinking you were dead didn't stop me from caring about you, no person will be able to do that," Emily promised. Her eyes searched the blonde's, imploring Alison to believe her. "And I don't blame you for having a bad day or _days_ for that matter. I just don't want you picking fights with someone who has no intention of fighting with you."

Alison scoffed and her brows quirked up in challenge.

"Ok ok," Emily relented, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. "Paige isn't exactly pro-you but that's all the more reason to stay away. Plus," Emily's voice turned soft again, "all that added tension can't be good for the baby. And trust me, with everything else in the mix, Paige is unnecessary stress."

Alison felt a smile forming on her face at the brunette's assuring words. It's clear that Emily truly had her best interest at heart and wasn't stepping in just to protect her ex. The blonde agreed to take it down a couple notches and Emily beamed in satisfaction.

"So…is that all you wanted to talk about?" the brunette gently pressed, her arm coming to rest on the back of the couch.

"No, there's something else." Alison shifted her position closer to Emily so she's fully facing the girl. Gathering her thoughts, she hoped to God she wasn't going to ruin this part of the night's conversation.

"You asked me why I kissed you that night." Emily's back straightened at the mention of the kiss. All of her senses were honed in on the next words spilling out of the blonde's mouth.

"I told you I didn't know. And I don't." Now it was the brunette's turn to look away, disappointed yet again at the blonde's lack of answers. Alison moved her hand to cover the brunette's, beseeching her to keep listening as she continued, "But that's because I've never allowed myself to really think about it. But I'm not gonna do that anymore. _You_ deserve to know and owe it to _myself_ to find out."

Slowly, Emily feels Alison's thumb gently glide back and forth across her hand. It was Alison's way of apologizing, a regretful acknowledgement that she didn't give Emily the answers she wanted to hear, but also an assurance that she would get them eventually. The brunette lifted her own thumb to brush against the blonde's in response, an understood acceptance of that promise. For a few seconds, the silence in the room was taken up by the conversations their fingers were drawing on the other's skin.

 _Calm._ _Grounded. Safe._ Alison thought. This was what Emily Field's proximity did to her.

"I'm sorry for pushing you away again," the blonde spoke after a few minutes. "My whole life I've always had to rely on myself. At the end of the day, everything's on me. I was scared to let you in because if I did and you left…" Alison gently shrugged, her voice trailing off.

"I told you I'm here for you and I meant it. Whatever you need. I'll stand behind you, infront of you, beside you—just let me be here for you." Emily flipped her palm up towards Alison's and intertwined their fingers. The brunette looked straight into the blonde's eyes making sure without fail that she understands these next words. "You are _not_ a burden. I know you think your life's an absolute mess. But letting someone help you doesn't mean you're dragging them down with you. It's not selfish to ask for a little rescue."

Alison teared up, touched that the brunette knew exactly which insecurities plagued her. Had Emily always been this good at reading her? She knew Emily saw through her facade but she certainly didn't think the brunette would perceive so much.

"But this isn't your problem," Alison tried again, grasping at straws even if the last remnants of her resolve were slipping away. "I messed up and got knocked up by a psycho. Not you. You have your whole life ahead of you, Em. How is it not selfish of me if I practically make you my pregnancy 911?"

Emily chuckled at the made up moniker. "I'm here because I _want_ to be here. No one's forcing me to do anything. So you can put aside your guilt complex because I'm ready to deal with your undoubtedly catastrophic mood swings."

"Hey!" Alison feigned offense at the joke as she playfully jabbed Emily's side. The brunette let out a wide grin, her eyes twinkling with lighthearted mischief as she tried to halt the assault Alison's fingers were carrying out on her sides. Emily squirmed on the couch before grabbing both of the blonde's hands in one of hers and carrying out a counterattack of her own. _Two can play at that game._ Alison's laugher rang out as the blonde attempted to wiggle her way out of their impromptu tickle war. It feels good, the two thought, to share a laugh with each other. It had been too long since they've had a moment to just be—no AD, no drama, no tension. Just Emily and Alison.

"C'mere," Emily finally said, pulling Alison to her in a bear hug. The two were still breathing heavily from their little game. The blonde face immediately settled into the nook of Emily's neck as the brunette's arms wrapped around Alison's waist.

The brunette took the opportunity to breathe the blonde in. The last time they were wrapped up in each other's embrace was on that very couch, black and white movie playing in the background, hearts thundering in their chest for a reason not entirely unlike the present. For Alison, that moment was the first time in days she'd felt like things would be okay. And she knew it wasn't a coincidence that the feeling reemerged when she was in Emily's arms.

"Be patient with me," the blonde whispered against Emily's neck. "I mean it when I said I'm gonna figure us out. Just don't give up on me yet." Alison's voice slightly cracked, betraying the gravity of her emotions.

"Never," Emily promised as she pulled Alison tighter against her.

She knew she had gotten through to Alison and she was beyond proud of her first love for stepping up to the plate. It would take some time to figure the two of them out. After all, they have years of history to hash out. But for the first time, there was light at the end of the tunnel and maybe the woman in her arms would be waiting at the end of it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **So there it is! That's chapter one down. I really hope you guys weren't too disappointed that I didn't put them together right away. I feel like Emily's confrontation would definitely force Alison to start processing things but she's been suppressing her feelings for Emily for awhile so it would take a good minute before she's ready to admit it. But I think this is a good set up for them. They're on good terms with each other and that's gonna go a long ways in helping both of them figure out their feelings. Next chapter's Hannily and Spalison scenes will be a huge factor in getting these stubborn two come to terms with how they feel. In the meantime, let me know what you guys think about chapter 1**!


	2. Chapter 2

"Han? I brought back pizza!" Emily called out as she stepped into the seemingly empty loft, one leg extending back to gently kick the door close. The brunette clumsily navigated her way through the room, a pizza box balanced on one hand, her phone in the other, and her bag haphazardly slung over the opposite shoulder. Placing everything on the table, the swim coach unconsciously smiled to herself.

After their talk last week, Emily and Alison have been nearly inseparable, spending copious amounts of time together after school. What initially began as Emily giving the blonde a ride home after some car trouble turned into an unspoken carpool arrangement where Alison would stay behind to grade papers until Emily finishes practice and they'd go home together. Sometimes the blonde would finish up her work early and swing by to watch the tail end her favorite brunette coaching. A time or two, she caught Paige staring daggers at her for encroaching on her time with the new coach, but Alison couldn't care less. There will always be a part of Alison DiLaurentis that loves driving Paige McCullers a little crazy anyways. Emily, though knowing of what the blonde's presence does to her ex, didn't speak a word against the teacher showing up. The brunette enjoyed sneaking glances over at the blonde, sometimes catching Alison watching her and sending a _gotcha_ smirk back. After practice, the two would then head back to Alison's house where Emily would usually stay over for dinner. And that's exactly how the brunette spent the evening.

 _"_ _What are you in the mood for?" Alison asked as she scanned through the contents in her fridge._

 _Emily, sitting perched atop one of the island stools, looked up briefly. "Umm…pizza?" Emily suggested before turning her attention back to the device in hand. The blonde lets out a quiet chuckle in response as she hip checks her fridge closed._

 _"_ _What?" the brunette asked, putting her phone down on the counter and turning her attention over to the girl opposite her._

 _"_ _Y'know, for an athletics coach, your love of pizza is pretty concerning," Alison teased, eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint as she moved to rest her arms on the kitchen island._

 _The brunette feigned offense at Alison's words as she scoffed. "Getting between a girl and her pizza never ends well, Ali," Emily playfully warned._

 _The blonde laughed freely at the brunette's joke and Emily was momentarily struck by how beautiful Alison is when she lets her guard down. "Fine, then I'm tasking you with ordering—"_

 _"—_ _because I know the best pizza places," Emily smugly interjected before adding, "And despite my indiscriminating love of pizza, I know exactly how you like yours." The blonde swiftly turned around, trying desperately to contain the blush warming her cheeks as Emily called to place their dinner order._

It's funny, the brunette thought, how effortlessly they've formulated a routine to include each other. The two of them have undoubtedly been getting closer, both physically and emotionally. Emily just couldn't help but to tuck in a stray hair of the blonde's, give her a hug when she's looking particularly worn out, or sitting so close to the girl on the couch that their knees brush up against each other. It's not too much to cross into any romantic territory but certainly a little more meaningful than platonic touches. No doubt it's the little things they've been sharing that's gotten the butterflies in Emily's stomach working overtime. But their physical intimacy have been coupled with their refreshing ability to open up to each other. Teasing jabs and flirtatious glances aside, the two have actually been having _conversations_. Whether it's in the car rides back home or over dinner, Emily and Alison have been talking more than they ever have. The brunette can see that Alison has really been making an effort to let Emily in. Likewise, the brunette has been learning how to trust her first love again.

In the five years Emily was away from Rosewood, the two gradually drifted away from each other. When the brunette returned, Charlotte's murder and AD's new games didn't give them enough time to properly reconnect. The past week had been that exact catching up that the two needed to reestablish the foundations of their whatever-ship. She doesn't know how much the other girls have caught on to recent developments in her and Ali's friendship but judging by Hanna's relentless teasing texts all night, she thinks her best friend is suspicious of something.

 _The phone buzzed yet again on the island and both pairs of eyes zoned towards the device interrupting their conversation._

 _"_ _Who keeps texting you," Alison flippantly asked, hoping to conceal her increasing annoyance. Throughout the evening, Emily had been on her phone more than usual and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't curious as to who was taking up the girl's attention. She could only hope it wasn't a certain Athletics Department Supervisor because then her pregnancy hormones would really go through the roof._

 _"_ _It's Hanna," Emily replied, chuckling at the blonde's apparent jealousy. "She keeps asking if I still live with her considering she's rarely seen me all week. Supposedly she's a little piqued that someone's monopolizing her Emily time'"_

 _A wave of relief washed over the blonde as her previous irritation quickly dissipated. "Well, tell her to get in line," Alison teased, getting up to put her plate in the sink. "Isn't Caleb with her?"_

 _"_ _Caleb's in Philly for the week, some tech thing he's got going on. So our girl's a little lonely," the brunette explained._

 _Emily pushed back on her hair, getting out of her seat to put away her own plate. Still infront of the sink, the blonde turned to take the girl's plate from her but misjudged how far away Emily was and ended up pausing a hair's breath away from the brunette's face._

 _Everything stopped._

 _Blue orbs met startled brown as the two stared into each other's eyes, frozen in place by some invisible force in the air. The same mantra flowed through both girls' minds: Not until you know. Not until you know. Not until you kn—_

"They better be from Gennaro's!" Hanna yelled, her voice breaking Emily out of the evening's memory. Emerging from her bedroom a few seconds later clad in shorts and a sweatshirt way too big to be hers, the designer walks up to the table and smiled in contentment at the sight of the familiar pizzeria's logo. Her smile dropped, however, when she flipped open the box to find half its contents missing, sending a _what the hell_ look over to her roommate.

The brunette gave the blonde an apologetic smile, explaining simply, "Leftovers from Ali's."

"Mhmm…" Hanna let out a knowing hum as she reached for the half-cold pizza because as everyone knows, any pizza is better than no pizza. Her eyes closed for a millisecond as she stopped to savor the flavor of her favorite food, opening them again to see Emily smiling confidently at her, thinking she's off the hook. But Hanna isn't letting her go that easily.

"So how is she?" The blonde asked between mouthfuls. Emily's head snapped towards Hanna at the question.

Giving a cryptic reply, she murmured, "She's good." The brunette averted her best friend's gaze and escaped to the kitchen where she attempted to buy more time, searching for and eventually settling on grabbing water from the fridge.

"Really? You've been over at Ali's every night this week and all you're giving me is 'she's good'?" Hanna countered, giving her best friend an incredulous look.

Emily knew right away she's in deep for a grilling session. But to be honest, she could really use someone to talk to. Despite Hanna and Alison's somewhat turbulent past, the two blondes in her life have really mended their friendship. And Emily knew her feisty bestie would give her the perspective she needs. So with a surrendering sigh, Emily pulled a chair up beside the still eating girl.

"So tell me," Hanna began, brushing her hands together to get rid of floury residue, "why have you two been ogling at each other so much this week when you could barely look at each other in the eyes last week?"

Emily's eyes widened in surprise at the blonde's candor and the blonde elaborated, "Just because I've been busy with my designs and Aria's wedding doesn't mean I don't notice these things, Em. And seriously, Alison isn't as good at hiding her emotions as she used to be."

Pausing to gather her thoughts, the brunette admitted, "We kissed."

"What?! When?" Hanna excitedly demanded, her eyes bugging out of her head and mouth agape.

"The night you came back after going rogue on Noel. I stayed with Ali because I wanted to give you and Caleb some alone time—"

"So you had some little alone time with Ali instead?" Hanna interrupted, a near maniacal smirk plastered on her face.

"Are you gonna let me tell the story or not?" Emily retorted, slightly rolling her eyes at her friend's antics. Hanna was enjoying this way too much.

The blonde backed down, sinking back against her chair to let Emily continue. "You know she's been going through a really rough time with…everything. She was really fragile and I was trying to comfort her. One thing led to another and we kissed." Emily paused, letting the information sink in. "Then she did the typical Ali thing and pushed me away. I thought we were just gonna sweep it under the rug like we always do but I had to know. So I asked her point blank if she kissed me because she wanted to or because she didn't want me to leave. She said she didn't know and that's why were all tense that night at Spencer's barn."

"No wonder you were extra pissy that night," Hanna voiced, putting the pieces together. She had been curious as to why the brunette stormed out that night, adamant to not play the game and uncharacteristically on edge. "So what happened after that?"

"Ali asked to talk a couple days later. She apologized and promised she was gonna figure out how she feels about me. We've been spending a lot of time together since and things have been…" she trailed off, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, "…good."

Hanna felt a smile of her own forming at the sight of her friend talking about Alison. She knew full well the massive history between the two, the unspoken words, unconfessed feelings, and what she thought at the time, unrequited love.

"But something's still bother you. So spill," Hanna demanded.

The brunette paused, eyebrows slightly scrunched together. "She's always been in the back of my mind—even when I thought she was dead, even when I was on the opposite side of the country and we weren't talking. And eventhough I knew there will always be a part of me that loves her, I thought that part was long buried. But all it takes is one look and everything comes rushing back. It's like that saying: feelings that keep coming back are feelings that never went away. I always figured she would never feel the same way. But we've been connecting so well lately. It's like I'm falling for her all over again. And as much as I want to, I can't let myself do that until I know she's for real. She's still figuring things out so what if the past week has just been a momentary blip? What if she figures out she doesn't feel for me like that and I fall on my face again?" The brunette ended her musings, clasping her hands together under her chin as her elbows rest on her knees.

Bending slightly over to meet Emily's eyes, the blonde tried to console her best friend. "Well, first of all, everyone knows you and Ali have unfinished business. God knows you two have been dancing around each other since she came back from the dead. Second, it's normal that you don't trust her. But you have to remember that the Ali that hurt you isn't the same Ali you were with all evening. We've all done our fair share of hurting each other. I mean, we did put her in jail that one time."

"What's your point, Hanna?" Emily murmured, annoyed at being reminded of what she considered the worst thing she's ever done to her first love.

"My point is that Alison's been hurt too. Most recently by the creep who she thought she was her loving husband. It's natural that she's gonna have her walls up. Alison may have matured for the better but some things will never change, her defense mechanism being one. The fact that she'd opened up to you this much is a damn miracle in and of itself. And the third and most important point, I've seen the way she looks at you too. The ice queen practically melts when you're around. I don't think she's playing with you, Em. But I do think she's gonna need a little time to figure it all out."

Emily pursed her lips, mind racing to process what Hanna just said. The blonde's voice interrupts her train of thought once again. "So tell me, is she worth the wait?"

"All I know is if she feels the same way about me as I do about her, I'd do anything to give us a fair shot at being together," the brunette looked up, eyes filled with renewed hope.

Hanna beamed proudly at her best friend, hand reaching out to give the girl's shoulder a squeeze. "You'll have that chance, I promise."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **So I lied. Sorry! I said we'd get to the both Hanily and Spalison this chapter. But I decided to split the conversation up. So we'll see some Spalison bonding next chapter. This also means that this story is no longer a two-shot. I'm thinking four chapters but we'll see how it goes. I hope you guys aren't too disappointed this chapter isn't filled with lots of Emison interaction. But fear not! There will always be some sort of Emison "scene" even when our favorite couple isn't in the chapter together.**

 **What did you think of Emily's talk with Hanna? Our girl's definitely falling hard but there are still some reservations there. When she's with Alison, everything seems so real and effortless but because nothing's been verbalized and cemented, Emily has to hold herself back a bit. Alison really needs to figure things out soon! And she certainly will next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

As she turned to walk out the door of The Brew, a flash of blonde in the corner caught Spencer's eye. Alison was situated in one of the more secluded corners of the cafe, sitting comfortably on a large cushy chair. Attention fully immersed in an old-looking book in hand, the blonde reached over to grab the mug of hot beverage decorating her otherwise empty table and took a sip. Spencer smiled at the sight, realizing that since she got shot, she hasn't spent any time with her feisty friend.

The two girls were never the closest out of the group. With both of them being alpha types and the seemingly complicated history between their families, it was odd the two became friend at all. But a shared brother and countless life or death situations later, the two have come to a mutual understanding. Thanks to AD's twisted machinations, the bond between them actually strengthened. Spencer have come to really care about Alison and felt proud of how far the former Queen Bee has come. After the shooting, the brunette had been so embroiled in her own parental drama that she'd neglected to check up on the blonde. She could tell something was off, the moodiness she would sometimes exhibit, the occasional snappy comment that would escape her mouth. But if Alison Dilaurentis wanted a secret kept in the dark, there was no prying it out of her. Spencer also knew there was only one person in the entire world that has been the sole exception to that rule. And judging by how often that certain brunette's car is parked outside Alison's house, Spencer knew the blonde was in good hands.

Looking around, she noticed the coffee shop barely had any customers at this hour. She figured that's probably why Alison chose to stay rather than grabbing a drink to-go. Spencer briefly debated interrupting the blonde who seemed so wrapped up in her novel. Before she knew it, however, her feet pulled her forward until she was standing infront of her old friend.

"Hey," Spencer spoke out softly as to not startle the blonde.

Alison's eyes snapped up towards the sound, briefly flashing a glint of annoyance at being interrupted. The look quickly dissipated, however, when she realized who it was. "Hey, Spence." She closed her book with a soft thud and turned more fully towards the girl, offering her a warm smile. "What are you up to so early?"

"Just grabbing some much needed caffein boost," the brunette held up her own coffee up. "My coffee maker's busted and you know how I get without my coffee."

The two shared a chuckle at the statement, both girls knowing exactly how volatile Spencer could get. "Good thing you have some now otherwise I'd warn the cops that a coffee-less Spencer is on the loose," Alison quipped, smirking in jest before offering, "Do you wanna sit?"

The brunette nodded in appreciation and plopped herself down opposite the blonde. Spencer's eye drifted to the book still in Alison's hands. "Great Expectations. How English teacher-ish of you," the girl joked.

"It's my favorite book, thank you very much," the blonde unabashedly replied, placing her book on the table between them.

"Funny. Em mentioned once it's her favorite book too." Alison's cheeks blushed at the comment, thinking back to the previous evening and the reason she's re-reading the classic tale in the first place.

 _Emily's finger glides gently over the spine of the novel resting on the DiLaurentis bookshelf, smiling to herself as her mind gets lost in a distant memory. She's snapped out of it when she hears Alison entering the room, quickly retracted her hand before the blonde sees what she was looking at. Alison noticed the suspicious movement immediately and quirked her brows up in question only to be met with Emily's plastered on smile of innocence. The girl squints her eyes in skepticism and walked over to where the brunette was standing._

 _Alison's eye quickly zoned in on a particular book that stood out on the shelf and smirked, deciding to play with the girl for a bit. "Did you want to read something?"_

 _The blonde moved to stand between Emily and bookshelf, their close proximity suddenly making the air around them much harder to breathe. Emily's eyes locked onto the blonde's teasing ones, knowing immediately her ruse was up._

 _Alison could tell the exact moment the brunette knew she'd been made and moved in for the kill.  
"I can make you a cheat sheet," the blonde whispered, her tone light and teasing, grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. _

_Emily tore her gaze away from those gravitating blue orbs with an embarrassed chuckle, stepping backwards a bit just so she could properly regain the function of the lungs. Alison decided she had teased the girl enough and pulled the book out of the shelf. The blond grabbed Emily's hand, tugging her to sit on the couch so they can thumb through the book together. Despite the wide expanse of the couch, the two sat pressed to next to each other on one end._

 _"_ _I haven't read this in years," Emily admitted, "Not since graduation."_

 _Alison absentmindedly flipped through the various pages. "Did you ever finish the whole thing? It's definitely rough at some parts," her voice trailed off for a bit before finding renewed optimism. "But if you remember, there's a happy ending." Alison looked up at Emily, not entirely surprised to see that the brunette had been staring at her the entire time. "And you love happy endings."_

 _"_ _I guess I'll have to re-read it then," Emily settled on saying, sending a smile towards the girl._

 _"_ _We'll both have to," Alison decided right then, leaning a little closer to the brunette and beginning the first page._

A message tone pulled Alison out of her reverie. Spencer immediately straightened up, an instinctual response of protectiveness that emerged every time a message is sent to one of the girls. AD really has them all trained, Spencer mused sarcastically. Alison reached for her phone, anxiety instantly replaced with a rush of warmth when she saw who the message was from.

 **Emily: Did you get to that part yet?**

Alison couldn't contain the smile from reaching her face as she quickly typed back a response.

 **Alison: Someone's an eager reader :P**

Spencer noticed the shift in demeanor right away and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Alison DiLaurentis doesn't smile like a lovesick teenager. So who could elicit that type of reaction from her? Unless….

Deciding to satisfy her curiosity, Spencer broached the topic, "Must be pretty special text to have to you smiling like that."

Biting her lip at the comment, Alison debated her options. On one hand, she's still figuring out her feelings for Emily. Spending a lot of time together has helped Alison come to terms with her feelings for the brunette but she doesn't quite know how to verbalize them. Most of her feelings have always manifested through actions and these past couple of weeks with Emily have been no exception. They've been increasingly touchy and she knows they both are heading towards something real. But she hasn't quite put words to those thoughts yet and she doesn't know if she can handle Spencer's particular line of questioning right now. On the other hand, she really should talk to someone. She's opened up to Spencer on her love life before, granted it was about other guys, but maybe Spencer can help shed some light on the situation. The faster she figures it out, the faster she can tell Emily.

"That was Em," Alison revealed, "We've been…close lately." The blonde braced herself for her friend's response.

"Ah…" Spencer breathed out, "It's about time. We were all wondering if there was anything going on between you two."

Taken back by Spencer's remarks, the blonde pressed, "What? What do you mean 'we'"?

The brunette laughed at Alison's obvious reaction, arms crossed and forehead crinkled in confusion. "Hanna and Aria were convinced you two are secretly dating or something. I initially dismissed it because I thought you guys would tell us if you are. But, I guess I'm wrong?"

"Well, all three of you are wrong. Sort of." Alison took a deep breath. "We're not dating but we're _not_ nothing."

"Care to elaborate on that, Riddler?" Spencer teased.

The blonde hesitated a second before settling on the most brief version of the story. "Em and I kissed awhile back and she asked me not to do it again until I know why I kissed her in the first place."

"And do you know?"

"I think I know. I guess deep down my heart has always known, but my head, that's different monster entirely," Alison admitted, eyes darting everywhere except at the girl across from her.

Spencer studied the blonde, fascinated at the softer side she's choosing to show. She can tell that it's taking a lot for the girl to open up to her and wouldn't want to say the wrong thing to set her off. Lowering her voice in a gentle tone, she asked, "What's keeping you from telling her?"

"If I tell her then we can be together. But I don't want to hurt her. Everyone who's been in my life has either died or been smart enough to leave. What if I really do break everything I touch? Emily is…she's warm and caring and loving. I'm terrified to mess it up with her. If I screw it up, I'm gonna destroy the person I care about most." Alison's head hung low, sighing in frustration.

Spencer looked at the blonde sympathetically, her heart breaking for her friend. Out of the five of them, Alison's been through hell and back. Being buried alive by her mother, tormented by her sister/cousin, and tortured by her husband should have driven any normal person off the rails. But there Alison was, trying to piece her life together despite all the forces looming to tear it apart.

"Do you see the way Emily looks at you?" Spencer asked, hoping the mention of the other brunette's feelings would pull Alison out of her own dark thoughts.

The question had the desired effect as Alison lifted her head to look at her friend and nodded.

"Well, she's head over heels. Always have been. You act like Emily is unaware of your past when she knows you better and deeper than any of us. She knows and she still adores you." Spencer paused, making sure she hasn't lost the girl.

"And you're not cursed, Ali. AD might be really good at making it seem that way but it's not true. Will there be times you guys get hurt? Yes. Will there be times you mess up? Absolutely. But that goes for Em too. We're human, we're imperfect. Real relationships aren't smooth sailing fairytales all the time. But if you love each other and you anchor yourselves in that, you'll be able to get through the lows and enjoy the highs. Not taking that chance on something you both clearly want only hurts you. And her."

The blonde nodded in gratitude, Spencer's words slowly easing her fears. The brunette was right. Alison and Emily can only stay in this limbo state for so long. To not give them a real shot at being together out of fear that something could go wrong in the future is foolish. They both deserve to be happy—with each other for once.

"Thanks, Spence," Alison smiled gratefully. "Honestly, I'm surprised you're not grilling me harder about my feelings for Emily."

Spencer sniggered at the assumption. "I see the way Em looks at you but I also see the way you look at her. We've all grown up from our teenage ways. I _know_ you're not playing with her. All I want is for my best friends to be happy. Plus, you're technically my cousin now so I gotta root for you, right?"

"Oh god, that's a whole other conversation we'd need to have," Alison playfully rolled her eyes, the mood now sufficiently lightened.

The two went on to talk about other things happening in their lives. The blonde complained about her bratty students, while the brunette dished on her growing closeness with a certain detective. They were two friends catching up on some much needed bonding time, two friends who, by knowledge of their familial connection and recent heart-to-heart, were keen to develop their friendship further. Eventually, Spencer glances down at her watch and sighed. "Ugh, I gotta go. But I'll catch you later, kay?"

The brunette gathered her bag and Alison rose to give her friend a hug goodbye, promising to hang out with her more often. When Spencer pulled away, she cheekily asked, "It's been awhile since I read Great Expectations, but Pip gets Estella in the end right?"

Alison beamed in response, unable to get a word out, a blush rising to her cheeks for the second time that day. Spencer laughed at the reaction and walked out the door, leaving Alison alone with her thoughts once more. The past few days have solidified the what and why of her feelings towards Emily. Today put to rest the last mental obstacle of her telling Emily exactly what she's been thinking and feeling. It's time. She knows.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **There's some nice Spalison bonding for ya. Last chapter was Emily working through her obstacle to trusting Alison. And this chapter was Alison working through the obstacle of trusting herself. Now these two can finally have that much awaited talk and get together!**

 **I gotta admit, 7x14 threw me off my game a little. But hey, in Sasha and Shay we trust. If our captains are happy with the way Emison turned out, then we gotta have hope because there's more to the story.**

 **Until next time, tell me what you think about this chapter! What would you guys want to see when our favorite couple finally talk? Which moments are you dying to see them address?**


	4. Chapter 4

The leaves crunched underneath Emily's feet as she trekked through the forrest. The crisp night air making the brunette furrow her hands deeper into the pocket of her bomber jacket. Nighttime strolls in the woods was probably a bad idea considering every going on with AD, but a particular blonde apparently had something up her sleeve. And Emily was the lucky recipient of this mischievous endeavor.

She had received a text from Alison that morning telling her to come over for dinner, an odd text considering Emily had practically been at the blonde's house every single night. Alison then proceeded to spend the rest of the day ignoring the brunette's texts, an even more peculiar turn of events especially when they've been teasing each other with _Great Expectation_ quotes all night. So it was in this state of utter confusion that Emily knocked on the door of the DiLaurentis home that evening. When a full minute passed without anyone answering the door, the edgy brunette used her spare key to enter.

 _"_ _Ali?" Emily's worried voice called out as she stepped into the living room._

 _Silence. The brunette frowned. Searching the entire house, Emily's forehead wrinkled with worry when the blonde was nowhere to be found. Alison should have been home already. Her mind immediately sped to the worst possible scenarios. Did AD sporadically decide to kidnap the blonde? Was it her turn to play again and she didn't tell Emily? Are Alison and the baby ok?_

 _She was about to call the girls for an SOS search team when her eyes finally landed on an inconspicuous little note sitting on top of the kitchen counter. In her rush to look for Ali, she completely missed the piece of paper when she came in. The baby pink note card was addressed to her in Alison's distinct penmanship and that's when her curiosity piqued._

Meet me at our spot.

 _Five simple words in the English language. But five words she hasn't seen since her senior year of high school when she found out Alison was still alive. And just like Alison's note filled her with nervous excitement back then, those words still get her heart thundering inside her chest five years later._

Emily had no idea what the blonde was planning. The anticipation of it all drove her to take quicker, longer steps to get to her destination. She could see the clearing up ahead and was momentarily startled to see a soft glow illuminating the area. A few determined strides later, the Kissing Rock came into full view and her heart nearly stopped.

The Kissing Rock was surrounded by soft fairy lights, the forrest floor coming alive with an orangey glow. Paper lanterns of all shapes and sizes hung from the tree branches around the perimeter of the area. The entire set up looked like it came out of some fantasy world. Peaceful. Whimsical. Breathtaking. And at the center of it all, Alison sat atop the rock, her legs swinging off the side as she leaned back on her arms. She looked carefree—like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders—as she proudly admired the decorated space she was in. The warm glow of the lights casted an almost ethereal aura around the blonde.

Emily stood simultaneously transfixed yet magnetically drawn to the sight before her, mouth agape and let out an astonished exhale. At the sound, Alison turned her head towards the girl and a wide grin appeared on her face.

"Too much?" she teasingly asked, bitting her bottom lip in anticipation of the brunette's reaction.

As Emily slowly walked up to Alison, the blonde shifted over, patting the space next to her. The still stunned brunette took a few seconds to accept the invitation. Sensing her girl was feeling a little overwhelmed, Alison chuckled and reached for Emily's hand, pulling her to sit down. The brunette turned towards Alison with an awestruck expression. "It's…perfect. When did you do all this?" Emily asked, an uncontainable grin appearing on her face.

"I had help," the blonde coyly answered as she played with Emily's fingers.

 _"_ _Emily's gonna die when she sees this," Hanna gushed, leaning back from her position on top of the ladder with her hands clasped together. The designer had been given the job of hanging the lanterns on the various branches and her animated gestures were quickly becoming a safety hazard._

 _"_ _Hey, careful!" Spencer scolded the overly giddy blonde from below the ladder. "You leaning back that far, from up there, in those heels, give me anxiety."_

 _"_ _Oh please, I live and breathe in these heels. I can scale a rock wall with th—woah—" Hanna's left foot slipped slightly and Spencer sprang forward to spot her. For a second, the blonde waved her arms wildly before succeeding in regaining her balance. "See? Perfectly fine." Hanna stuck her tongue out in defiance, heart thumping in her chest as Spencer rolled her eyes at the blonde's antics._

 _Alison chuckled quietly as she observed the exchange, her best friends the very image of bickering siblings. It felt nice to finally have a healthy dynamic like that in her life. Alison never had the best sibling relationship growing up with Jason. The two barely talked and when they did, it quickly escalated into vicious fights. Their relationship had improved a lot since then but even so, the oldest DiLaurentis was never around much. But looking around, with the girls going out of their way to decorate the space with her, Alison felt like she was finally part of the group again._

 _"_ _Are you nervous?" Aria asked, pulling the tangled lines of fairy lights out of the box. The petite brunette had noticed the blonde's growing quietness as day went on. Alison would join in with the occasional jab and joke, but for the most part had a look of deep contemplation on her face._

 _"_ _Terrified," the blonde answered honestly. She paused briefly before letting out a quiet laugh. "But in a good way, if that makes any sense."_

 _Aria beamed at the response, "Perfect. That's exactly what it's supposed to feel like." The writer reached over to grab Alison's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "And Hanna's right, Emily's gonna love this."_

"No wonder those three weren't picking up my calls all day," Emily concluded. She had found it slightly worrying that all her friends went dark the same time Ali did. But never in her wildest dreams did she think the blonde would recruit their friends into surprising her like this. This was a grand gesture if there ever was one and her heart warmed at the thought of Alison doing it for her. "I seriously thought AD pulled a fast one on me," Emily admitted with a chuckle.

"Sorry," Alison shrugged unapologetically, her smile showing just how satisfied she was at catching Emily off guard. "You love surprises though."

"The good ones," Emily relented, a blush creeping up on her cheeks. "So what's all of this for?" the brunette finally asked, the anticipation apparent in the slight tremor of her voice.

Instead of answering, the blonde bent over to the side of the rock, brushing her fingers over the spot forever marked with their initials. Emily studied Alison, the smile tugging at the corner of her lips and the faraway look in her eyes. Finally, the blonde breathed, "Do you remember the last time we came here together?"

"Yeah," Emily answered back just as softly. She bent over from behind Alison, catching a glimpse of the graffiti. "You spray painted that there."

The girls had been having another one of their sleepovers when Alison woke Emily up in the middle of the night and secretly dragged her off to the Kissing Rock. Running through the woods with a giggly, mischievous teenage Alison was absolutely thrilling for the young brunette. The experience further amplified when the blonde pulled out a can of bright red spray paint and proceeded to immortalize their names on the infamous rock. Emily was shocked at the brazen move, but was thrown for another loop when Alison tugged the brunette forward and kissed her again and again. All too soon, the blonde pulled away, both of them knowing they had to go back before anyone noticed they were missing. The raw emotions behind that memory that kept the swimmer well away from the rock after Alison's "death", not daring to return until the runaway asked her to meet again.

Alison sat back upright after a few seconds, tucking her hair behind her ear, "This was where we last kissed before I went away."

Emily bit her lip in response, having just reminisced about that particular memory. Taking Emily's hand in hers, Alison took a deep breath, "I kissed you then for the same reason I kissed you a couple weeks ago." The brunette's hand tightened slightly at the revelation. "It's not like I've never had a clue…just that I've never let myself think about what it means. But I've always known what I felt, even if my brain didn't let me label what they feeling was…What that feeling _is_."

The blonde sniffles slightly, the emotion behind her words threatening to overwhelm her. Emily gently stroked the blonde's hands in encouragement. As impatient as she was, she understood the enormity of what Alison was doing. Being honest has never been first nature for the other girl and Emily would give her all the time she needed to gather her thoughts.

"When I'm with you, I feel…Safe. Loved. Whole. You're the only one who has ever made me feel that way. For so long, I resigned myself to the fact that I don't know how to love. I didn't exactly grow up with the best role models in that department. But you taught me how. I didn't realize it at first but that feeling I get every time I look at you…it's love. And for as long as we've known each other, that feeling has never went away." Alison paused, glancing up to see Emily's eyes starting to tear up as well. "I want to be with you, Em. I've loved you since I was 15 and I still love you now. I know the timing's horrible. But I promise I'm not telling you this now because of the baby or because I don't want to be alone. I'm saying it because I can't go another day without you not knowing that I love you, Emily."

At her admission, Emily let out a breath she had been holding throughout Alison's entire speech. This was it. The girl of her dreams, her first love, finally saying what she has wanted to hear all these years. Emily gently pried her hands out of Alison's grip, placing them on her cheeks as she brought their foreheads together. Alison closed her eyes at the contact as she relished in the tender gesture. "I've never stopped loving you, Ali," the brunette whispered, "And there's nothing I want more than to be with you."

Pulling back, Alison's voice registered a mix of surprise and hope, "You do?"

The other girl's mouth curved into a smile, "Yes. When I asked you why you kissed me, it's because I wanted us to finally be on the same page. The past couple of weeks we've spent together has only confirmed what I already knew I wanted."

"I really want to kiss you now," Alison admitted, smiling hard through her teary eyes.

The brunette leaned in, barely brushing her lips across Alison's, before the blonde pushed back harder pouring all her emotions into the kiss. Emily's arm wrapped around Alison's waist, pulling her impossibly closer as Alison's hands moved to tangle into the brunette's hair. Tasting Alison's lips again felt like a breath of fresh air after being underwater. Alison tugged on Emily's bottom lip with her teeth, drawing a quiet moan from the brunette. In that moment, nothing else mattered. There was no other sound except that of their lips moving against one another. There were no other feelings except that of each other's exploring hands. When they finally pulled apart, both girls were sporting matching smiles.

"Thank you for doing all of this for me," Emily said, taking one more look at the decorated space around them and pulling Alison into her arms. "Whatever's next, I promise we'll figure it out together."

"Together," Alison agreed, craning her neck up to take Emily's lips between hers once more. And just like the first time their lips met at the Kissing Rock, the two kissed well into the night—knowing without a shadow of a doubt that this was exactly where they should be.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Well, there you have it! I'm sorry I took so long to update the last chapter. Finals was kicking my ass. But after the massive episode we've just gotten, I felt inspired to push the last chapter out. This chapter pretty much wrapped a little bow on this story. I couldn't imagine the girls not being a part of Emison getting together so having them help decorate the Kissing Rock was a good way to involve them. In chapters 2 and 3, Emily and Alison were pretty much already acting like a couple. So this last push was just getting them to verbalize it. Thank you everyone who came on this little mini journey with me. I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. Let me know what you guys think! I love the feedback. Now I'm gonna go watch that 7x16 scene another couple hundred times!**


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